Background: The Saudi Arabian monarch, King Khalid, has been busy welcoming visiting foreign dignitaries who have travelled to Mecca as part of the Hajj or pilgrimage.

Meccas is regarded as the birthplace of the prophet, Mohammed, who was believed to have been born in the city about 570 .A.D.

Every year at this time the city is inundated with millions of pilgrims who journey to Mecca to observe this rite of the Islam religion.

Most Moslems try to make at least one journey to Mecca during their life and the modern means of transport results in huge crowds gathering for the Islamic festivals in and around the city.

There are many Islamic heads of state throughout the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East and King Khalid personally greets as many foreign heads of state as possible when they arrive.

SYNOPSIS: Mecca, the Islamic holy city in Saudi Arabia, where every Moslem tries to visit at least once in his life. At this time of year millions of pilgrims flock to Mecca to take part in the Islamic rite -- the Hajj.

The pilgrims come from all over the world for this annual pilgrimage.

It was here in Mecca that the prophet, Mohammed, was born in about five hundred and seventy A.D. Later the city of Mecca became the centre of the Islamic religion.

Saudi Arabia's King Khalid, is regarded throughout the Moslem world as the guardian of the sacred shrines of Islam. It is a great privilege for pilgrims to be received by the King and many Moslem heads of state pay their respects to King Khalid when they visit Mecca.

Members of foreign diplomatic corps based in Saudi Arabia are also received by the King.